+1 for fermentation temp control. My best (award winning) beers have come from wort produced with a Gott Cooler, an aluminum pot (that doesn't even have a valve), and a focused, practical, RDWHAHB mindset.

The trick was the two stage controller with a chest freezer and heat belt. There are plenty of good threads to explain the specifics - but the money spent on these items yielded SIGNIFICANTLY more return than any pump, pot, or shiny automatic widget (and this coming from a Controls Engineer!).

I made my own immersion chiller from 1/2" copper when I started going > 5 gal batches - 'bout as fancy as I get.

Thanks for all the info guys! I have been brewing a little while with extract and grains. Just moving into a place with more room for me to store my equipment. I use a bucket of water right now to keep fermentation temps constent. It works for now. The place I am moving into will have an extra full size fridge and my girlfriend has said it's dedicated to beer and drinks. So I have that to play with.

But after reading I will stick to 5 gallon batches but will upgrade to a bigger pot to go full boil. And I will pick up a cooler for mashing. One thing I want to get though is a turkey fryer and brew outside. Anyone have useful info about those? I've seen them at the LHBS but don't know about pricing on those.

I can't wait to finally get some money saved up to start brewing all grain and have full control over my beer.

I think I paid between $50-75 for my setup at a hardware store. Included a burner/stand and a 7-7.5 gal. AL pot which I still use.

Thanks, looks like I'll be doing all grain sooner than I thought. making a mortgage payment and a rent payment at the same time for a month will slow it down a bit. Gives me time to think about my first all grain recipe.

Thanks for all the info guys! I have been brewing a little while with extract and grains. Just moving into a place with more room for me to store my equipment. I use a bucket of water right now to keep fermentation temps constent. It works for now. The place I am moving into will have an extra full size fridge and my girlfriend has said it's dedicated to beer and drinks. So I have that to play with.

But after reading I will stick to 5 gallon batches but will upgrade to a bigger pot to go full boil. And I will pick up a cooler for mashing. One thing I want to get though is a turkey fryer and brew outside. Anyone have useful info about those? I've seen them at the LHBS but don't know about pricing on those.

I can't wait to finally get some money saved up to start brewing all grain and have full control over my beer.

Check out the major sporting goods stores, like Dicks, Academy, etc. I bought a high pressure burner, alone, for under $20.

So I just bought a place with plenty of space to start all grain brewing. I have read a lot of articles and looked at many different set ups but want to know what I would need for the basics. As much as I would like something badass and tricked out I just want something that will allow me more control of my beer.

I have been brewing extract with specialty grains in my apartment for almost a year now and while the beer taste great I would like to take the next step into this obsession.

Even if you just show me a link to a good site with information or your own set up that would be awesome. And about how much do you think it would cost to get a "starter" set up that I can upgrade easily?

So I just bought a place with plenty of space to start all grain brewing. I have read a lot of articles and looked at many different set ups but want to know what I would need for the basics. As much as I would like something badass and tricked out I just want something that will allow me more control of my beer.

I have been brewing extract with specialty grains in my apartment for almost a year now and while the beer taste great I would like to take the next step into this obsession.

Even if you just show me a link to a good site with information or your own set up that would be awesome. And about how much do you think it would cost to get a "starter" set up that I can upgrade easily?